Life in the Neck New Friends by Diane Davies and illustrated by Margarita Sikorskia will be participating in the LA Times Festival of Books in San Diego on April 13 & 14, 2019.  I’m the author, Diane Davies, and I’m happy to be making my first post on the Author’s Lounge Blog.  As a wife, mother, grandmother, retired elementary teacher, supervisor of student teachers for UWRF, and a fifteen-year breast cancer survivor, I’m proud to be here.

I started my writing career in 2004 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  The writing helped me to wrap my head around what was happening to my body.  My journal that I kept for the 300 some days of my journey became, with my English teaching daughter’s urging, my first book From There to Here A Breast Cancer Journey.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

After twelve years of survivorship and with the help and guidance of Beverly Vote, Publisher of the Breast Cancer Wellness magazine, I published Breast Cancer Saved My Life.  With the experience of living beyond my own used by date, I took the lessons learned from my journey and viewed them with new eyes giving me increased wisdom and clarity.  These new insights became my second book.

As a first grade teacher for twenty-six years, I had read thousands of books to hundreds of children.  Written on my bucket list was the entry – write and publish a children’s book so that I can read my own story to my students someday.  August of 2018 found me doing just that with the publication of the first book in the Life in the Neck series.  Life in the Neck New Friends won the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award at the Gold Level making me an award winning author which I’m proud to share on the Author’s Lounge Blog.

Delaney the deer, Rocket the rabbit, and Cardinal Red meet and learn about friendship, cooperation, and the busy world around them.  But when danger comes to the Neck in the form of Old Coyote and a fire, will their bond be strong enough to beat it?  I guess you’ll have to read the book to find out that answer.  The summer of 2019 will bring out Book 2 Life in the Neck Squirrel Trouble.  All of the friends from the Book 1 appear once again along with three fun-loving little red squirrels, Chatter, Whistle and Squeak, and Eli, my grandson.  Eli and his Dad built a log fort in the forest of the neck.

The squirrel family move in even before all of the finishing touches are complete bringing a lot of chaos.  Stay tuned to find out what happens this summer.  Have you figured out yet just what the heck is a neck?  If you have, let me know by leaving a comment at the end of the blog.

Following my breast cancer journey, I felt a real need to reach out and help others with their own journeys through the dreadful disease.  Jeannie Ann’s Grandma Has Breast Cancer written by me and illustrated by CA Nobens is my way of filling the gap in the need for breast cancer information for patients who are dealing with the questions of young children at the same time as the disease.

I found very little out there on the subject so Jeannie Ann came into being.  She is a typical six-year-old.  When she learns that her grandma has breast cancer, it brings up the fears, questions, emotions, and misunderstandings that come with facing a medical challenge of this magnitude.  With her loving family by her side, Jeannie Ann learns about what cancer can bring – tumors, mastectomies, chemotherapy, pain, and loss, but also hope.  Jeannie Ann’s story is written with honesty, love, and understanding for children of all ages.

All of my books can be found for sale on my website at www.dianedavies.com along with information on how you can bring me to your conference, convention or classroom for guest appearances and book signings.

I live in the Neck, right next door to the animals making their home there.  You’ll find me in one of the two houses with my husband, Papa Butch, and right next door you’ll find my granddaughter Elsie, grandson Eli, and their Mom & Dad.  I love my role as Grandma Diane and our whole family enjoys our life on the St. Croix River between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Minnesota happens to be our mailing address however Wisconsin is what we see off of our deck.  Life if good in the Neck.  Thanks to Author’s Lounge Blog for allowing me to tell my story.  I hope we run into one another again soon.  Thanks for reading!

Diane Davies